The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-01

| featured state. Inc timber Tor MS
ships stood in the forest, and when
cut and laid was green and soft. The
iron required was in the mines, and
there were neither furnaces nor
workshops. The hemp required for
the ropes had to be sown, grown,
reaped, and then there were
no ropewalks. The Southern
States had never produced a
suficiercy of iron for the use Of
their people in time OF peace, and
now that war was greatly to multi
ply the uses OF that indispensable
metal, the price rose from $25 to
1890 ton, aud yet neither money
nor industry could supply the de-
mand which the navy, the army, the
fast wearing rails and engines of the
railroads and oil the other necessi-
ties of a great war required"
MIR. Mallory could at least organize
his department, which he did. A
number OF small vessels, the Nc
LellaD, the Lewis Cass and others,
had been seized by the different
States as they seeded, but were
never Of much use. In the first year
$l4, 000, 900 were placed to the credit
of the Navy Department. OF this
$500, 900 was spent on the Merrimac,
forty-two gunboats we're contracted
for in various cities from Norfolk to
New Orleans aud Memphis; floating
defenses we're constructed at New
Orleans against the feet of United
States gunboats building on the Mis-
sissippi, Confederate ports we're
strengthened. At the end of the year
the department had' also a powder
mill erected and equipped, which
supplied all the powder needed in
the navy. 1t had two engine, boiler
and machine shops and five ordnance
work shops. 1t had established
eighteen yards for building war yes
sells, and made all its own cordage.
1t had aAoat in 1861 the Sumter,
Dixie, jeff Davis, Gordon, Merri-
mac, Petrol, Everglade, Savannah,
Webb, McClelland, McRae, York
town, Patrick Henry, Resolute, Sal
lie Bonita, James Gray, Calhoun,
Ivy, Dodge. Lady Davis, Lewis
Cass, Washington, Nina, Jackson,
Tuscarora, Pickens, Bradford,
helms, Coffee, Nashville, Manassas,
George Page and Judith.
The personnel of the navy consist
ed of: Captains, 8; commanders, 70;
lieutenants, "a; midshipmen, 6; sur
geoDs, 7; paymasters, 8; chief engi-
neer, /; first assistant engineer, |;
navy agents, 2; colonel of marines, I;
lieutenant colonel OF marines, l;
major of marines, / captains of
marines, 2; second lieutenants Of
marines, 3-total, 81.
Twenty three gunboats were in
progress Of construction in spite of
the important points taken posses
sion of by the Federal forces where
gunboats were being built. At vari-
GUS points there was great activity,
but the most important event Of 1861
was the arrival in June at Liverpool
of James ID. Bullock as naval repre-
sentative of the Confederate States
in Europe, with full instructions to
purchase or contract for the building
of vessels abroad. Mr.. Bullock pur-
chased those cruisers of which the
Alabama was type, and which did
80 much destruction to the Federal
commerce. Mr.. Scharfs account Of
these sea rovers is especially inter-
esting. 1t is the only history which
gives in full the careers of such YES
sells as the Florida, the unfortunate
ram Stonewall, the Sea King, after
ward the Shenandoah, and those
minor craft which, hastily converted
into vessels of war, spread alarm on
the coast of the Atlantic and Gulf,
and among the islands of the West
Indies. His command of materials,
inaccessible even to Admiral
Semmes, has brought out some
new facts in the fight Of
the Alabama aud the Kearsarge, and
for the G.st time the whole of the in
cident as Ferrol, Spain, between the
Stonewall and Admiral Craven $
ship, which led to the court martial
of the latter officer, is set before the
reader, The right to issue letters of
marque and to commission ships of
war is also discussed here, The
question has been settled in favor of
this right of President Davis in the
matter, but the history of it is not out
Of place, as Mr.. Seward, with petty
81 tic unworthy a high officer of a
powerful government, persisted to
the last in designating the officers
and men Of such vessels as pirates. y
The ugly word fairly bristles
through all his dispatches and Off
cial communications
Why the torpedo service did not
do more efficient work will be readily
seen from the chapters devoted to
that arm OF the navy. We are just
beginning TO appreciate the value oil
these destructives in river and har
Dor defense. The Coniederates had
to experiment in every way, without
really adequate means or skilled
workmen TO carry on their expert
ments. They did the best they
could and taught some valuable les
sens,
The chapter on blockade run
ming" contains the statement Of .
fact not generally known. The profits
of running the blockade became SC
large that rich companies were
formed abroad, swift vessels built
and so many luxuries imported that
the trade developed a growth Of rich
men, and taste for luxuries amonl
the people that led to restrictive
law being passed by the Confederate
, Congress. We give an extract il
, which this is explained: while tn,
officers Of the navy were successful
| in all their many trips except one
| every ship belonging to the
| Confederate Government not com
/ manded by an officer of thu
navy was lost. These officer
|, we're skilful seamen, good naviga
: tors, gentlemen OF standing ant
I, character; the cause was their cause
. aud they were above all the sus
. picion that could be attached Il
Q others less iavorably situated, Dur